The baby name Naoto is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced NAH-oh-toh (IPA: /na.o.to/).
Naoto is Japanese in Origin.
The baby name Naoto is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced NAH-oh-toh (IPA: /na.o.to/).
Naoto is Japanese in Origin.
Naoto is a Japanese given name formed from the elements Nao (often 直 “straight, honest” or 尚 “esteemed”) and to (frequently 人 “person,” 登 “to ascend,” 斗 “dipper/measure,” or 都 “capital”). Meaning varies with kanji; common spellings include 直人 “upright person,” 尚人 “esteemed person,” and 直登 “direct ascent.” Predominantly masculine, it can be unisex, especially in contemporary fiction.
Use spread in the modern era and remains steady in Japan, carried by figures such as former prime minister Naoto Kan, designer Naoto Fukasawa, and actor Naoto Takenaka. Pop culture, notably Persona 4’s detective Naoto Shirogane, broadened recognition abroad. Variants appear in kana (ナオト, なおと) or through alternative kanji; related names include Naoki, Naoya, and Naomi (unisex in Japanese). Diminutives often shorten to Nao.
| Naoto Kan Naoto Kan is best known as the former prime minister of Japan, serving from June 2010 to September 2011. He also led the Democratic Party of Japan and was the first Japanese prime minister after Junichiro Koizumi to remain in office for more than a year. |
Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.
| Country | Gender | Year | Rank | Born | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP | 0 | #64 | 14 | 4,057 | |
| JP | Boys | 0 | #98 | 263 | 7,909 |
| TW | Boys | 0 | #256 | 1 | 7,111 |
| SG | 0 | #282 | 1 | 11,010 | |
| CN | Boys | 0 | #329 | 3 | 9,639 |
| France | Boys | 2019 | #392 | 3 | 2,886 |
| RU | Boys | 0 | #526 | 1 | 12,621 |
| HK | Boys | 0 | #552 | 6 | 12,905 |
| BO | Boys | 0 | #619 | 4 | 9,244 |
| SG | Girls | 0 | #632 | 1 | 18,916 |
| SG | Boys | 0 | #684 | 14 | 17,960 |
| CL | Boys | 0 | #698 | 3 | 13,390 |
| BR | Boys | 0 | #780 | 6 | 12,213 |
| United States | Boys | 2012 | #880 | 7 | 7,390 |
| OM | Boys | 0 | #918 | 1 | 17,948 |
| PE | Boys | 0 | #920 | 7 | 14,506 |
| CO | Boys | 0 | #981 | 1 | 15,656 |
| MX | Boys | 0 | #1,030 | 4 | 16,355 |
| MY | Girls | 0 | #1,072 | 1 | 24,821 |
| AE | Boys | 0 | #1,143 | 1 | 22,615 |
| MY | Boys | 0 | #1,175 | 8 | 25,439 |
| ZA | Boys | 0 | #1,272 | 1 | 25,619 |
| IT | Boys | 0 | #1,441 | 31 | 10,046 |
Naoto is popular in 19 countries — most recent births per country:
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